What went wrong with the AirPods and USB-C

[Immiddx]

Most hotel rooms still have radios/speakers with the 30 pin adapter.

But I do see your point - With Apple, expect less.

I rarely make electronics purchasing decisions based on what legacy connectors some hotels use.
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I can agree with one thing.... for $150 bucks they could've included a charging block with it. People are paying a high premium and Apple is nickel and dimming consumers over a 30 cent USBC to lightening cord.

How do you figure? The AirPods are cheaper than basically every other truly wireless earbud. If anything, $150 is a steal for a device of this type.

 

[Phil A.]

I don't have all usb-c products. But to get there we need to be forced there. But doing that with still having the iPhone lightning... That's not logical.

It's not just the iPhone though - it's the iPhone, iPad and loads of accessories. There are likely to be far more Apple devices using Lightning than will ever use USB-C so you could argue that the "logical" thing to do would be for Apple to have standardised on Lightning rather than USB-C (I'm glad they didn't though!)

Apple seem have a view that USB-C is the best connector for computers and lightning for everything else: I can see the logic in that (based on the better robustness of the lightning plug / socket arrangement) and don't see a major issue with it.
Having said that, the Apple TV has a USB-C connector for recovery purposes so maybe they are just confused

 

[macrem]

I voted fine as-is & am actually glad it's USB-C only. USB-C is not only the future I'm also finding in the present there are plently of solutions. While it's a bit ironic that the iPhone does not plug into the new MBP without a new cable or adapter, it's really been beaten into the ground and never was a big deal to me. Ever since the time you could sync the iPhone wirelessly I very rarely physically connected my iPhone to my pre-2016 MBP but if I still needed to on my 2016 MBP, I'd either use the one adapter I bought (USB-C to USB-A) or purchase a USB-C to Thunderbolt cable, admire its new techiness, and probably use it for the next six years before needing anything else again. No big whoop. Also others have demonstrated how you can hide a hub with all sorts of connectors and only need one USB-C cable to drive everything including power, external monitor, etc. with just one USB-C cable going to the MBP.

 

[raqball]

It's not just the iPhone though - it's the iPhone, iPad and loads of accessories. There are likely to be far more Apple devices using Lightning than will ever use USB-C so you could argue that the "logical" thing to do would be for Apple to have standardised on Lightning rather than USB-C (I'm glad they didn't though!)

Apple seem have a view that USB-C is the best connector for computers and lightning for everything else: I can see the logic in that (based on the better robustness of the lightning plug / socket arrangement) and don't see a major issue with it.
Having said that, the Apple TV has a USB-C connector for recovery purposes so maybe they are just confused

If Apple views USB C as the future for PC and Lightning as the future for everything else then fine.. Maybe they need to start shipping iPhones, AirPods, iPods ect with Lightning to USB C cables in the future. Sure they'd also need to change the small charging bricks that ship as well to USB C but hey, if they are all in, then be all in right?

The whole argument about how that would harm older computers is bogus to me as they can be the ones who need to use a dongle....

I completely think Apple is confused at the moment as their connectors are all over the place.. Literally nothing Apple currently sells can connect to the new MacBook Pro without the use off a dongle, adapter or non included cable and to me, that's just odd...

 

[CaptRB]

I voted fine as-is & am actually glad it's USB-C only. USB-C is not only the future I'm also finding in the present there are plently of solutions. While it's a bit ironic that the iPhone does not plug into the new MBP without a new cable or adapter, it's really been beaten into the ground and never was a big deal to me. Ever since the time you could sync the iPhone wirelessly I very rarely physically connected my iPhone to my pre-2016 MBP but if I still needed to on my 2016 MBP, I'd either use the one adapter I bought (USB-C to USB-A) or purchase a USB-C to Thunderbolt cable, admire its new techiness, and probably use it for the next six years before needing anything else again. No big whoop. Also others have demonstrated how you can hide a hub with all sorts of adapters and only need one USB-C cable to drive everything including power, external monitor, etc. with just once USB-C cable going to the MBP.

You pretty much said it all.

Everything works. Very. well.

And that's the bottom line.


R
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If Apple views USB C as the future for PC and Lightning as the future for everything else then fine.. Maybe they need to start shipping iPhones, AirPods, iPods ect with Lightning to USB C cables in the future.

The whole argument about how that would harm older computers is bogus to me as they can be the ones who need to use a dongle....

I completely think Apple is confused at the moment as their connectors are all over the place.. Literally nothing Apple currently sells can connect to the MacBook Pro without the use off a dongle or adapter and to me, that's just odd...

Why is this "Odd?"

Apple clearly intends to use the USB-C exclusively as time goes on. To make that a reality they had to start somewhere. There had to come a FIRST product that pursued this and the new MacBooks are obviously that product.

Transitions like this can be awkward and annoying for some, but in this case we have a port that is fully compatible with cheap adapters and soon enough you won't even need those. They had to start somewhere and including legacy ports is not a good start.

I'm so impressed with the USB-C ports. I ran a test with my Nikon D810 tethered and it was fast and flawless. The previous USB method was sometimes flakey. No more need for buying extra chargers for 80 bucks a pop and I can charge off of a variety of sources.

This was the right move by Apple, as time will prove. No matter when they did this there were bound to be complaints.



R.

 

[raqball]

Why is this "Odd?"

Apple clearly intends to use the USB-C exclusively as time goes on. To make that a reality they had to start somewhere. There had to come a FIRST product that pursued this and the new MacBooks are obviously that product.

Transitions like this can be awkward and annoying for some, but in this case we have a port that is fully compatible with cheap adapters and soon enough you won't even need those. They had to start somewhere and including legacy ports is not a good start.

I'm so impressed with the USB-C ports. I ran a test with my Nikon D810 tethered and it was fast and flawless. The previous USB method was sometimes flakey. No more need for buying extra chargers for 80 bucks a pop and I can charge off of a variety of sources.

This was the right move by Apple, as time will prove. No matter when they did this there were bound to be complaints.



R.

Time will tell.. If future Apple products release with Lightning to USB C (and a USB C power brick) then I'll agree. If they don't then it is indeed odd...

 

[Phil A.]

If Apple views USB C as the future for PC and Lightning as the future for everything else then fine.. Maybe they need to start shipping iPhones, AirPods, iPods ect with Lightning to USB C cables in the future. Sure they'd also need to change the small charging bricks that ship as well to USB C but hey, if they are all in, then be all in right?

The whole argument about how that would harm older computers is bogus to me as they can be the ones who need to use a dongle....

I completely think Apple is confused at the moment as their connectors are all over the place.. Literally nothing Apple currently sells can connect to the new MacBook Pro without the use off a dongle, adapter or non included cable and to me, that's just odd...

The Apple TV can if you ever need to recover it, but I take your point

We're definitely in a transitional phase at the moment and there are bound to be pain points.

They could (and probably should) make the next step to replace the USB-A to Lightning cables and chargers with USB-C to Lightning and if they do that it will show they do have a joined up plan going forwards. Whether this will be next year is open to question, as is when and if they'll make the final transition from Lightning to USB-C for their non-computer devices (which I suspect will take a long time, if ever)

Ultimately, though, I can't really get myself overly bothered about it because even the situation we have now is far better than things were 15 years or so ago when we had serial ports, parallel ports, SCSI ports, Firewire ports, ADB ports, VGA ports, etc, etc and I definitely prefer the idea of having a multi-purpose port that can be changed into whatever you want by the use of a cable or adapter as you then don't have ports sat there you can't or won't use

 

[idunn]

But what do you get with the AirPods, an USB to Lightning charging cable. You don't get a wall outlet. So out of the box you can't charge them, unless you have a usb to wall outlet port. This makes no sense.

You raise a good point. I checked Apple's site and you are correct: the AirPods charge via a Lightening connector.

The issue of retaining legacy ports aside, perhaps Apple should decide which it prefers, Lightening or USB-C.

 

[CaptRB]

Time will tell.. If future Apple products release with Lightning to USB C (and a USB C power brick) then I'll agree. If they don't then it is indeed odd...

Agreed.


R.

 

[Macalway]

Complaining about wires with a wireless device, because of the charging?

 

[user74246]

USB-A is the past. They should have stopped all production of USB-A to Lightning cables and let 3rd party manufacturers take care of selling yesterday's cables.

What is Apple doing instead? Shipping millions of them to their customers in 2016. And 2017 will be no different, they don't even sell a USB-C version of their 5W or 12W power adapters.

USB-C hooray!

 

[skids929]

I have the AirPods, and aside from being awesome I don't see the issue the the OP is bring up. Honestly, I don't want another charge block, I have enough of them kicking around. And I have to think that Apple might have thought most people will have an iPhone that are purchasing these, therefore have the charging block already. Heck a lot of people never even unravel the charging block and use fancy aftermarket chargers. And for Android users, who really cares, they can buy the block or use the crappy PC they likely own.

I am not really sure yet, but after the first day with these I don't see why I would want to hook them up USB C to my MBP. But I have a (discounted) dongle for it anyway, so not a big deal for me if I decide to later. Would it be nice to have a USB C charging block? Sure I suppose. But we knew this was going to be a bumpy road while it all catches up. So let's take a deep breath and enjoy these awesome ear buds, because they ARE awesome and will likely get better with future software updates.

 

[MathijsBo]

You raise a good point. I checked Apple's site and you are correct: the AirPods charge via a Lightening connector.

The issue of retaining legacy ports aside, perhaps Apple should decide which it prefers, Lightening or USB-C.

Exactly!